Responses to Reviews:

RonaldM40196867: The Fire Nation! Alright, the food's a bit spicy for my taste but in pretty much every other respect it seems preferable. Particularly as nothing happens there during Korra's time so it would be quiet. My idea of an Avatar video game would either be a kind of narrative- driven open world game playing through the series, or a Lego Game.

Zigzagdoublezee: That's been planned since the beginning, because I'm trying to play up just how spiritually damaging those weapons are. It makes sense, I think, that it would affect Jinora, the most spiritually connected character, and Korra, the Avatar, the most.

Sharpe: nice username, by the way. Is it a reference to a certain fictional 19th century British Rifleman? In fairness, if they did invent the gun the first ones would probably more resemble Medieval Handgonnes (a metal tube on a stick, basically), Chinese Fire Lances, or Arquebuses. Single-shot, muzzle-loading things. And they do seem to have naval artillery of a kind. But they seem to have deliberately avoided guns, and they probably had good reason to.

As Always, Please Review!

Mako

A cloud of steam hung over Yue Bay as a fleet of mighty battleships began to heat up their boilers. They were getting ready to depart Republic City and sail south, where they could decide the fate of the United Republic. Hundreds of little boats rushed around them, delivering last minute supplies, crewmen, orders and a lot more, as well as interested civilians eager to get a good look. Mako watched as the two experimental ships, the Taka and the Washi, built to carry flying machines, hove into view from behind the headland they had been hidden behind and began slowly making their way towards the rest of the fleet.

He was stood with Asami, Korra and Bolin on a wharf at the Republic's docks. The decision had been taken; they were sailing to war.

Or not. There was always the chance that Kuvira would see sense and back down. This had been the hope expressed time and time again by generals and politicians ever since the whole crisis had begun.

"Are we sure about this?" Korra asked, gripping the railings.

"We have to be," Asami replied anxiously. "How can we stop it?"

Korra paused for a moment.

"I have a plan," she said finally. "We need to deal with Kuvira ourselves. If we let her fire that weapon she could devastate the fleet. Who knows how many people she could kill? So we should board her ship, fight her ourselves."

Asami nodded. "Can we do that?"

"We have to. We can use a flying machine to get close enough, can't we?"

"No, I mean- do you think you're up for it? If she does fire it, that will instantly knock you out! I don't want that!"

"I'm fine!" Korra replied, just a little too quickly. "And we'll just have to make sure she can't fire it."

Asami looked unnerved. She reached out a hand and put it on Korra's shoulder.

"You know you can tell me, right?" She said. "I'm here for you. And I always will be."

Korra smiled at her.

"Thank you," she replied. "I know."

Mako was just about to say something when he heard someone shout.

"Mako!"

His heart leapt at the sound of his name, and he turned to see... a stressed out looking Fire Navy messenger rushing towards him.

"The Princess has asked for you!" He huffed, having clearly been running. "She's on the pier!"

Sure enough, he looked out across the harbour and could see several figures in red standing at the end of a wooden walkway that extended out over the water. A little boat flying the red ensign of the Fire Navy was moored alongside them.

Mako looked at his friends. Asami and Korra were smirking back. Bolin was oblivious.

"Will you keep the Princess waiting then?" Korra asked, putting a teasing emphasis on the word Princess.

"Give her my love when you see her," Asami added. "If you're not too busy with yours."

Mako blushed. "Shut up, you two."

"What? It's nice. Mako, dating a Princess. I didn't think you had it in you."

"Yeah well..." Mako cast around for some kind of comeback. He failed miserably.

"Go on," Korra waved him away. "See what she wants."

Mako turned to go, and then hesitated.

"If I don't see you again before we leave," he said seriously, "good luck."

The others went quiet.

"Good luck," Bolin replied. "You are coming with us, right?"

"Of course!" Mako replied. "You think I'd want to miss this? I just have a feeling I might be going with Hotaru."

"Of course," Korra added.

"Good luck Mako," Asami said. "Group hug?"

"Group hug!" Bolin and Korra yelled at once, rushing forwards. Mako was nearly bowled over, tensing up in surprise and then relaxing into the hug. It was nice. A shame it couldn't last.

Finally, the hug ended, and they stepped backwards. Mako smiled at his friends, gave one last wave, and then walked away.

Dock workers rushed around him, and the crowds made it difficult for him to move forwards, but after several minutes of trying to ask nicely, and a couple of minutes of shoving his way through, he finally made his way to the pier. Princess Hotaru spotted him and waved. The rest of her family weren't there, though. He recognised one of the others as Sora, but the rest looked like Fire Nation officers he didn't know.

"Mako!" She called. "I was wondering where you were!"

"Just with my friends," Mako told her as he arrived.

He nearly went in for a hug, but then hesitated. They were in public and he didn't know whether it was common knowledge, or whether she wanted to potentially avoid a scandal (Mako would have thought that people had bigger things to worry about, but the gutter press could be relentless), or what the appropriate etiquette would be, but the decision was taken out of his hands by Hotaru sweeping him into a hug.

"Pleased to see you too, Princess," he grinned, blushing. "My friends say hello."

"Noted," Hotaru replied, releasing him and slipping an arm through his. "We're just about to board the flagship."

She gestured to where the Fire Nation flagship, Audacious, rose imposingly out of the water. Even from this distance he could see the ornately carved prows and the red banners. The waters around it were crammed with boats.

"Zuko's not coming," Hotaru said airily. "He's going to be staying on shore. He's had enough of warships to last a lifetime, apparently. And my brother has chosen to command the Republican fleet, so he's going to be aboard their flagship."

"And you're in command here?"

"Yes," Hotaru nodded. "I suppose nominally, anyway. I've got Sora here who knows what he's doing better than me. But there's just one more person who I'd like with me when we leave."

Mako opened his mouth to ask who, but then closed it because he suspected he already knew.

"Join me," Hotaru said. "It would make this so much easier if I had you by my side."

Mako nodded enthusiastically.

"Count me in!"

"Remember though!" The Princess wagged a finger in mock sternness. "This is a ship of war, in her majesty's navy, sailing into an active battle. Kissing and canoodling will be kept to an appropriate minimum. In private. Otherwise we will need to be the height of professionalism. Lives are riding on this, Mako!"

"What do you take me for, Princess?" Mako raised his arms in mock surrender. "I know my duty."

"Then do it," Hotaru gestured to the boat. "I need to go first. Protocol, you know how it is."

She gingerly stepped down into it and sat down. Mako followed, trying his hardest not to fall in and embarrass himself in front of the Fire navy.

"Listen, Korra's got a plan," he whispered to her as soon as he was sat next to her, uncomfortably aware of the gentle motion of the boat rising and falling with the waves.

"What, another one?" Hotaru whispered back. "It's what I like to hear. What is it?"

"She's going to try to fight Kuvira."

"She's going to beat Kuvira, you mean," Hotaru corrected him. "How?"

"With a flying machine. I guess they must be going on one of the carriers. Apparently Asami's father is going with them."

"Well, he does have the most experience with flying machines. Do you need to go with them, or-"

"If they need me, they can call for me," Mako shrugged. "Otherwise, I'm going to stay with you. You did ask."

"I did," Hotaru replied, discreetly squeezing his hand. "Glad to have you on board, sailor."

She raised her voice.

"Cast off!"

Mako jumped at the change in tone as men undid the ropes holding the boat in place, and it began to move away from the shore. He just made out the shapes of his friends still where he had left them, and waved. They waved back. Bolin blew a kiss.

Then he turned his gaze out to sea, towards Audacious, and the threat he was now sailing to meet.